hofwyl-broadfield plantation

Took the tour of the house and then spent time walking and checking out the other buildings. Lots of information and displays. The live oaks are so big and beautiful, you can rest on a bench and just imagine a horse and buggy riding down the path to the house.

I will not spoil the special nature of the plantation ownership revealed, but it is very interesting indeed.

We had a free afternoon so visited this plantation owned by the State of Georgia. If your image of a plantation is a BIG house with pillars in front, as in Natchez, MS, you will be disappointed. This "plantation" house is more like a typical Midwestern farm house. The interesting part is that is was a working farm/plantation up until 1973 when the last owner died without heirs and willed it to the state. Everything in the house is original. What once was a rice plantation became a dairy early in the 20th century. Tours of the house are by a guide. We felt our guide should have told more of the family story. He told about a few things in each room and asked for questions. We would have liked more family history including the many slaves needed for the rice crops, so the rating is not as high.

The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation is located just north of Brunswick, GA and less than an hour south of Savannah on Hwy 17. We visited early on a brisk and sunny Sunday morning. The visitor center is well laid out, has good displays and a very informative short film on continuous loop. There are beautiful old oaks covered in Spanish moss throughout the park making the walk to the house very enjoyable. The tour of the house was informative and interesting. It was good to know that the house had been kept just as the last descendent had left it on her passing in the 70’s. I would like for the visitor center to have a brief genealogy chart detailing the family ownership of the plantation. The storyboards mentioned directly and indirectly relationships of the family but it was left to the visitor to try to piece together the family tree. A minor concern but I believe it would help better understand the human history of the plantation. I also agree with a previous reviewer that more can be detailed about the slave population since quite frankly they were definitely the majority of the people who lived there and were the primary reason it was successful. It’s a pleasant and quiet way to spend several hours with the displays in the visitor center, walking the grounds and nature trail, and the guided tour of the home.

Hofwyl - Broadfield Plantation is a wonderful side trip about an hour or so south of Savannah. The grounds are beautiful, with ancient live oaks hanging with Spanish moss. The marshes in front of the house, which once was the rice fields, is now a sanctuary for birds of all kinds. A tour of the house reveals the history of the family who once owned the land and what life was like for them. The interpretive center houses interesting artifacts from the site and the film tells the tale of the plantation which began in the early 1800's as a rice plantation and became a dairy farm in the early 20th century. My husband, my daughter, and I found the family's connection with the Jewish community of Savannah particularly interesting. It was well worth the drive!

The time we spent at Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation was great. Ranger Andy with his laid back style made the experience come to life. We toured late Sunday afternoon and just took the "Southern hospitality" in with style. A great stop for families of all ages (lots of space for the little kiddos), interest for teens (quiet spaces for reflection), stepping back for the older set (many will remember farm tools and cow barn).

My husband and I visited this plantation while on holiday in Savannah. The grounds are gorgeous! The tour guide and the woman running the front counter were both incredibly friendly and knowledgable. The nature walk was absolutely perfect and a definite "must do"!Our only qualm was the fact that very little was said of the slaves. There was a bit of info in the museum that said rice plantation slaves had a rougher life than cotton plantation slaves. While it was interesting to hear about the generations of white family that lived on the land, I believe that more focus should've been spent on the thousands of slaves that lived there.

Visited the site today 2/26/15. All the staff we encountered were extremely helpful and obviously they enjoyed their work. Ranger Andy did a great job of explaining life at the site. He did an equally good job of explaining the furniture and other items used at the house. Would recommend a visit if you are in the area!

Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation is one of the most fascinating historical sites I've ever toured. I strongly recommend seeing the video at the visitors' center prior to touring the site. What you see will make much more sense if you do. The plantation dates back to the very early 1800s and was, until 1973, continuously inhabited by the descendants of the original owners. One can sit on the front porch of the house and view the marsh which used to contain rice fields. The house, which was built in 1850, and its furnishings are all original, and are preserved as they were when the last descendant died. Can you imagine having your house furnished with 18th and 19th century antiques and using them on a daily basis? Or having colonial portraits of your ancestors on the walls of your house? Ranger Andy, who gave us our guided tour, obviously loves his job and made Miss Ophelia, the last heir, come alive for us as he explained how she her siblings, and her ancestors lived and worked on the plantation, and managed to preserve it for future generations. The site is easily reached via I-95 or US 17, but is open only part of the week. One can tour the grounds, but not the house, if one uses a wheelchair.

Great historical perspective on the Golden Isles. Ranger Andy is a fine tour guide. Enhances the plantation history. What an interesting time in Georgia's history.

We saw the sign on the highway so pulled off and took the tour without any prior info. After a pretty walk under beautiful trees we joined a group for the thirty minute tour of the house. After the tour I turned to the lady next to me and asked, "who lived here?" And she laughed and said she didn't know! There was no information on the history of the estate or family. The tour guide spent the time explaining the "modern" updates such as when electric was installed etc. The house itself reminded me more of a farmhouse than a "plantation" but we enjoyed the tour and grounds. The visitor center was very nice and provided a 17 minute film that I am sure would have provided the history of the plantation but unfortunately we were on a strict time limit and didn't get to watch it. Even though the tour lacked we enjoyed the visit! The trees alone were almost worth it!

A real gem that's not to far from the interstate make this a great place to visit. I have been here a few times. The guided tour is real entertaining and informative. The scenery is breath-taking.

We decide to visit and the plantation and glad we did. Very informative about days gone by and the house and grounds are very well preserved.

Our visit was one of the highlights of our two weeks in Brunswick GA. We are from Mt and learned much history from our informative,friendly guide.

The story of coastal Georgia's agriculture and culture are reflected in this home place. I recommend it to all island visitors.